1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a driver's knee airbag, in particular for a motor vehicle, with a gas generator, a plurality of chambers and catch straps.
2. Background Art
The airbags known in general from the prior art are intended to protect the vehicle occupants against injuries in the event of an impact. It is therefore important that the airbags deploy rapidly and provide optimum protection. Over the course of progressive development of safety devices in the motor vehicle, in an ever greater number of vehicles use is made of what is referred to as a knee airbag which, in addition to the improved restraint function of the particular occupant, also protects the latter, in particular the driver, from contact with the lower structures, such as the steering column. For this purpose, it is necessary to develop special airbags tailored to these requirements.
DE 199 00 592 A1 describes a knee-supporting device, in which a covering is arranged between the airbag and the vehicle occupant. In the event of an impact, the covering is displaced towards the steering wheel. In this construction, the vehicle occupant is pressed against the covering. However, this construction is relatively complicated and therefore expensive.
The applicant's own unpublished application DE 103 53 228 discloses a knee airbag which, owing to the particular arrangement of the catch straps, has an inflation sequence in which first of all a central high pressure chamber and subsequently lateral low pressure chambers are filled. However, it has turned out that, despite the good protective effect of airbags of this type, there is still a need for improvement.